Alton Towers | The Smiler | Gerstlauer Infinity

[OfficialAltonTowers]

It makes you think though, when you look at a diagram like the one above you realize actually how small and tidy of a footprint Alton actually is, i mean there's at leat 60% unused land that's in Alton's control on that picture, but the problem being is that 90% is listed, what a conundrum...

It's a shame that they don't build on the current car parks, then build a new car park where the "overflow" field is, but then they would have no secondary overflow, and only one relatively small car park, which on busy days will be a problem, but that would allow them to put a few relatively large coasters and probably even a whole new area..

 

[Nic]

I know I'm being an idiot, but where is 'coaster corner'?

 

[OfficialAltonTowers]

I know I'm being an idiot, but where is 'coaster corner'?

I was wondering this too, but didnt want to sound stupid ,

I think its where thunder looper used to be, like where nemmie and air are now, but im not 100%

 

[MouseAT]

I know I'm being an idiot, but where is 'coaster corner'?

It's somewhere behind the back corner of Cred Street. It's closed to the public, but I seem to remember it being visible from the wave swinger.

 

[Nic]

For some reason I was always under the impression that it was somewhere over the back of Ug Land (or whatever its now called) like over behind where the wave swinger was or something. I don't know where I got that from though.

Edit: ^Ah, probably explains my confusion then.

 

[Dave]

But wasn't it closed because it was too close to Alton village? Too noisy?

 

[mouse]

Have we said about what manufacturer we think it will be?
I think it'll be Intamin

 

[OfficialAltonTowers]

I think it'll be Intamin

Please elaborate, can we have a little more "meat" than "i think it'll be intamin"

Why do you think this?, what are the reasons that brought you to think this? and what would back up your point to make it valid!

For example,

I think the coaster manufacturer is likely to be B&M because they have just agreed on a design for Thorpe (LC12), realistically B&M's have been the only really good/great coasters at Alton, Nemesis, Oblivion, and Air, the rest have been sort of average, and with a deal done at Thorpe and the fact that we can assume from Alton's comments that the ride is under development makes me think that Merlin has chosen B&M to design and construct the two coming attractions..

obviously this is more guess-work at this stage in the process, this is a good as guessing the gimmick or even the type, which makes this whole post irrelevant... :?

Oh well :roll:

 

[Swat]

I think it'll be Intamin

Please elaborate, can we have a little more "meat" than "i think it'll be intamin"

Why do you think this?, what are the reasons that brought you to think this? and what would back up your point to make it valid!

For example,

I think the coaster manufacturer is likely to be B&M because they have just agreed on a design for Thorpe (LC12), realistically B&M's have been the only really good/great coasters at Alton, Nemesis, Oblivion, and Air, the rest have been sort of average, and with a deal done at Thorpe and the fact that we can assume from Alton's comments that the ride is under development makes me think that Merlin has chosen B&M to design and construct the two coming attractions..

obviously this is more guess-work at this stage in the process, this is a good as guessing the gimmick or even the type, which makes this whole post irrelevant... :?

Oh well :roll:

Merlin also have Gardaland's Raptor and Krake at Heide Park so Merlin could of possibly got 4 coaster deal with them.

Location wise I can't think of much space away from the village where a large development can go. Ripping out the Flume just doesn't seem viable to me.

Also Coaster Corner is behind (Red Square below)

I think development there is unlikely.

Personally if they choose not to remove and replace a ride and decide to use new land I would say the area highlighted in yellow for the simple fact there hasn't been development in that area of the park for a while and they have a nice amount of space if the area is cleared. IT could also open up the option of extending Forbidden Valley and provide enough space for other rides. Also isn't the area in yellow the proposed area for that woodie a few years back?

 

[Nic]

^I don't want to even think about the number of TPO's that would need to be circumvented in order to go for the yellow option.

 

[tks]

Ride in the gloomy wood?

 

[Coaster-Fiend]

This image from the Long term development plan shows the possible sites for coasters which they have outlined in purple.

Taken from ATA: http://gallery.towersalmanac.com/displa ... ?pos=-6772


The old Coaster corner site is the best bet I think.

I thought coaster corner was off limits 'cause of those bastard ropers or whatever they're called... ?

That's why mouse Alton Mouse got removed right?

 

[furie]

Right, let's try and take this a step at a time :lol:

The Valley
The yellow area in Swat's post is the valley between Dark Forest and Forbidden Valley. It's full of protected trees which makes adding a coaster there spectacularly difficult.

There was talk of using the area from coaster corner (the red area), round the back of the BK building and into the woods Thirteen dips into. Thirteen has pretty much used up the available space there though.

Coaster Corner
It's easy to point out coaster corner, it's behind Cloud Cuckoo Land. It started where Twirling Toadstool is now, and went on behind the theatre. When you're on Twirling Toadstool, you can see in, and there are car parking spaces (it was used as parking for a while too). It's fenced off with a very high fence and it's now a staff area around the back of the CCL buildings.

The area stretches around almost to the rear of the Oblivion arcade building (but the ground dives away just round the corner of the Towers up there. I believe since Coaster Corner days the Tussauds/Merlin studios have been built at the top end too where there used to be coasters.

The area comes along to the left of CCL (looking from TT to the Towers) and towards the CATCF building and potentially behind it.

The coasters were removed because the noises from them could be clearly heard in Alton village. The Ropers lived in Farley which is up by the main entrance.

To give you some idea of this side of the park... When you approach AT from Alton village, you come down the steep hill that winds from the village. If you look up into the trees on the hill ahead, you'll see a single tower popping up through the trees. This tower is at the edge of Coaster Corner (the farthest from CCL) and is about on a line to Twirling Toadstool on the same kind of height.

You can also sometimes glimpse Rita through the trees there to the right (and you could often see Corkscrew).

That should give you some idea of how "sensitive" the area is. That area is on a kind of plateau at the edge of the Towers ground and it falls off then into the woodland down a steep hill. Hence why sound is carried over to Alton Village. Trees have grown up since then, but as you can imagine, if you can see the tower from Alton, you'll be able to see any high coaster too. So in terms of a "World's First", it's a bad site simply due to constraints. Unless of course, the world's first is very quiet and very low.

Most Likely
So looking at the map Spicy first posted with the three potential coaster sites, the Car Park one by air looks the most likely. However, the Flume site is also marked for Regeneration/Opportunity. It's not marked as a potential coaster site though, so it's doubtful, but they may look at it. With it not being on the local presentation though, it's doubtful to be honest.

Hope that clears things up a little?

 

[Pablo237]

Ok sorry. What can possibly be new that no one has ever done before?

 

[furie]

No entirely sure what that has to do with anything?

 

[Coastermaniac94]

cant remember where I heard it but John Wardley was seen in the air car park looking around. This is similar to when Alton were planning 13 and John Wardley was spotted looking around UG land.

 

[Gazza]

^Who'd have thought, a company employee wandering around one of their properties.

 

[Coastermaniac94]

You obviously don't understand, JW has been spotted inspecting the area probably looking for SW7's ride location since the area is a contender. He is a ride designer and why else would he be looking at a random car park.. :L

 

[furie]

Maybe he lost a contact lens getting out of his car?

 

[Coastermaniac94]

^true that